BEREA, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Browns cornerback Denzel Ward is among four players listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Eagles plus Myles Garrett weighs in on the team's 1-4 start.
Here’s Friday’s Brownie Bites.
Question marks – Ward, who has a hamstring injury, is questionable along with linebackers Mohamoud Diabate and Jordan Hicks and defensive tackle Maurice Hurst. “I thought he looked like himself, but really need to get through the next 24-48 hours before you make a final determination there,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said. Diabate has a hip injury, Hick a sore elbow and triceps and Hurst an ankle injury. Safeties Ronnie Hickman and Grant Delpit were ruled out. “I mean, we have options there,” Stefanski said. “Obviously, with Rodney [McLeod] and D’Anthony Bell, feel good about those guys. They’ve played a lot of football for us over the last couple years, but we have options.”
Time running out – If the Browns want to make something, anything of this season, time is running out. “Won't be the first team to bounce back from 1-4, won't be the last and right now we're zero and zero as far as the scoreboard goes,” Garrett said. “We're just going to [try] be 1-0 by the time the game ends on Sunday and we can continue from there. But it's got to be a 1-0 mentality like we usually talk about, but we've got to mean it especially when you're down. You can't be focused on the past. You got to be focused on right now and this present and the working your ass off to get out of this little rut that we're in.”
Hall activated – Rookie defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. will also be available and is expected to play Sunday after he served a five-game suspension for violating the NFL personal conduct policy stemming from that violent incident at his home in August. “I'm not going to speak on what happened,” Hall said. “I mean, if you want to know what happened, you can just go up and read the police reports or whatever. I mean, people are entitled to their own opinions, so believe what you want to believe or do what you want to do. But at the end of the day, I'm still here. I'm still a Cleveland Brown at the end of the day, and I'm going to continue to be here and work hard every day. Hall did not deny the allegations made in the police report, but he regrets what took place. “It was just an unfortunate event, but just controlling what I can control as a man and a person,” Hall said. Hall added he has been going to counseling, similar to when he was at Oho State.
Conklin available – Offensive tackle Jack Conklin was a full participant in Friday’s practice and he will be active Sunday, but it is unclear if he will start. “I’m not going to get into specifics on roles with our guys, but excited for him to be up,” Stefanski said. “And have to mention the fact, with all these guys, how hard they work to get back. I know he obviously wanted to be back earlier than this, but, man, he’s worked so hard.” Conklin was set to return a few weeks ago before a hamstring injury popped up and sidelined him after recovering from last year’s season-ending knee injury.
No Chubb – Nick Chub won’t make his debut until next week, as expected. “I think he's just building on every single day,” Stefanski said. “I think he's doing a nice job in the scout team. He is doing a nice job when he gets some reps with the offense, so he just continues to build on every single day.”
Injury report – OUT: RB Nick Chubb (knee), S Grant Delpit (concussion), S Ronnie Hickman (ankle), T James Hudson (shoulder), RB Nyheim Hines (knee), C Ethan Pocic (knee); QUESTIONABLE: LB Mohamoud Diabate (hip), LB Jordan Hicks (elbow, triceps), DT Maurice Hurst (ankle), CB Denzel Ward (hamstring)
